Ads and commercials constantly bombard us with the idea that we deserve this car or that vacation. If we want it, we should just buy it. Right? I think the national credit card debt speaks to the fact that people just can’t bring themselves to say no. Even young newlyweds often do not limit themselves—they buy things like a new house, new car, an expensive vacation, etc. Sadly, I’ve seen this inability to say “no” cause undue stress in new marriages.
Whatever happened to humble beginnings? My mom and dad lived in an elderly couple’s upstairs apartment for five years early in their marriage. My husband and I lived in a 70-year-old house that had carpet in the bathroom for the first two years of our marriage. Not only do we have some great stories, but we also dodged stress by not having to live from paycheck to paycheck.
Here are eight ideas for keeping the early years of marriage simpler and less stressful:
- Cut the cable and nix Netflix. This is a tough one for sports-loving couples. However, cable bills can add up quickly. Consider sparing yourselves the monthly cable bill and go to a friend or family member’s home for the big games. There are often free codes online for Blockbuster Express and Redbox kiosks. Or, better yet, make use of your local library. Our library has free holds and emails me when the movie I want is waiting for me. This saves us at least $10 a month.
- Consider having one car. If possible, driving one car is a big money saver. Some good friends of ours drove one car for the first year of their marriage. The driver’s door did not open so they had to crawl in through the passenger side. It was not glamorous, but I have the utmost respect for them for taking steps to save.
- Avoid buying things you can’t afford. Although a shiny new car is tempting, those payments will get old. My dad always told me to never make payments on something that depreciates in value. In other words, buy a dependable used car that you can afford. Our two vehicles are 10 and 12 years old. Not only did we avoid making monthly car payments, but we also save a bundle on insurance.
- Avoid big data plans. My husband and I (gasp!) don’t text or use the internet on our phones. This way we skip three-digit cell phone bills. We also use Skype to video call family in New Zealand, Michigan and Alaska for free.
- Say nada to expensive hotels. If you want to get away, pick up a tent at a local outdoors store or on Craigslist. US National Parks have fee-free dates (already up for 2012) here: http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm. My husband and I bought an annual pass for Rocky Mountain National Park for $40 (a daily pass is $20) and we’ve used it four times in two months. There are also some parks that never charge an entrance fee.
- Cook meals at home. I am constantly shocked at how much a couple can spend on just one meal out. Plan ahead so that you don’t have to run to the store to just grab one item or get take-out. Again, utilize your local library to checkout cookbooks or do a Google search for new recipes. Or, call up a friend and have a cooking day to fill up both of your freezers. Limit yourself to one meal out a week (or less if your budget is very tight).
- Limit online “deals.” Sites such as Groupon and Living Social are very tempting because of the allure of saving money. However, sometimes it is easy to spend money that you wouldn’t normally spend or forget to use those vouchers by the expiration date. Plan ahead of time what kind of deals that you would like to find, such as cheap movie tickets or dinner in a certain price range.
- Know where your money goes. My husband and I have a spreadsheet with everything (I mean everything) that we buy. This helps us to see where our money goes and where we can make adjustments. If that sounds like a lot of work to you there are sites such as Mint.com that will do it for you.
- Allow a weekly allowance. Our friends who married while in college were very short on cash. One way they allowed for fun extras like coffee or a movie was by allotting $10 per person per week. That was their money to spend as they pleased without having to justify it to their spouse. It may not seem like much, but $10 per week can add up quickly if saved. This is one way to avoid arguments over small purchases, like that delicious caramel mocha!
Adjusting spending habits and sticking to a budget is not easy but it is realistic, doable and rewarding. It also allows couples to be creative and work as a team.
